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Tampa Bay is a huge natural harbor on the west coast of central Florida, in the Gulf of Mexico. The bay consists of Hillsborough Bay, Old Tampa Bay, Middle Tampa Bay and Lower Tampa Bay. Tampa is a city that occupies a peninsula sandwiched between Hillsborough Bay and Old Tampa Bay. Several bay cruises offer tours of Tampa Bay, some with food and entertainment.

Yacht StarShip

Yacht StarShip offers visitors guided, 2.5-hour dinner cruises of Tampa Bay from its dock in downtown Tampa. The 131-foot luxury yacht cruises out of Ybor Channel into Hillsborough Bay and Garrison Channel. Passengers are treated to unobstructed views of Bayshore Drive, Harbour Island, Davis Island and downtown Tampa's skyline. The dinner menu consists of three courses. Guests enjoy live music for much of the tour. Yacht StarShip also offers daily lunch cruises; between October and May, Sunday brunch cruises are available.

Yacht StarShip

223 South 12th St. (corporate offices)

603 Channelside Drive (Tampa dock)

Tampa, FL 33602

813-223-7999

yachtstarship.com

Florida Aquarium

The Florida Aquarium offers 90-minute Tampa Bay cruises that allow guests to se some of the bay's estimated 500 wild bottle-nose dolphins and endangered manatees. Guests board a 72-foot catamaran, the Bay Spirit II, for what the aquarium bills as an "eco-tour." The tours leave the aquarium daily, if the weather's good; call the museum for specific times. Tickets must be purchased 30 minutes or more before the start of the tour, with boarding beginning 15 minutes before the tour. Tickets should be purchased well in advance for the busy summer season.

The Florida Aquarium

701 Channelside Drive

Tampa, FL 33602

813-273-4000

flaquarium.org

Sail Tampa

Sail Tampa offers charter sailing cruises around Tampa Bay aboard the Whitewing, a 40-foot Freedom ketch/cat. The boat, and captain, may be chartered for hour-long to all-day sightseeing and dinner cruises, for groups of up to six people. Sailing lessons also are available, as are extended cruises that leave Tampa Bay for such nearby ports as St. Petersburg, Sarasota and Longboat Key.

Sail Tampa

6307 Selbourne Ave.

Tampa, FL 33611

813-310-4744

sailtampa.com

References

About the Author

Thomas K. Arnold is publisher and editorial director of "Home Media Magazine" and a regular contributor to "Variety." He is a former editorial writer for U-T San Diego. He also has written for "San Diego Magazine," "USA Today" and the Copley News Service. Arnold attended San Diego State University.

Leaf Group is a USA TODAY content partner providing general travel information. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY.